


Rome Grows Roses

by DeliciouslTootsie



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Handwriting, Its Rosewick she's fifteen he's twenty-one so underage?, M/M, Mature for later scenes, Multi, Romance, trash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-20 23:47:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6030274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeliciouslTootsie/pseuds/DeliciouslTootsie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When two people meet for he first time and exchange a chat. Those first two scentences are inscribed onto the partners skin, but there is a catch. It only happends if those two are destiend to be soulmates. What if the first time Ruby Rose met Roman Torchwick, their first words exchanges is on her ankle and a single word in deep red on his hand?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You plant the seed for it to start growing.

Ruby yawned and smiled a bit. Just last night was accepted into beacon! Now in one weeks time she would be there! It excited her to no end. She got out of her bed and stretched with a smile. She began to remove her clothing and get ready for her daily Saturday morning soak! When she went to wake her socks that she accidentally kept on over night she was happy. But when she removed her left sock there was bright orange writing on her ankle. she stared at it for what seemed like eternity.  
"End of the line, Red!"  
Her heart was beating rapidly. No way. She didn't even know that mans name?! all she knew about him was that he tried to kill her! She knew the stories of how people fell in love, or who a persons soulmate was.. Whatever a persons first words to you were, those words would be engraved on your skin the next time you would sleep. She gulped a bit and rushed into the bathroom and turned on the bath. She wanted to soak... She held her head in her hands. What should she do?  
She stepped into the warm water after a few moments and slowly relaxed. She didn't even remember what the guy looked like. Adrenaline had taken over and all she really remembered was getting into beacon early. She decided to hide it and maybe forget about it... Her father had two soulmate marks... One for yangs mom and one for her own mother. Maybe she would be that Lucky and //not// be in love with an organized criminal. She sunk lower into the bath and let her hair get wet. She dove under completely and opened her eyes. Foggy. She popped her head back up and sighed. No one could know about this. Not yang, not her dad, not even uncle Qrow... She sighed as her lungs began to hurt and came up for air. She didn't want this... She began to wash her head and dug into her scalp to Make sure it was really clean. After she got all soap out of her hair, she sighed and began to wash her body. No matter what kind of soap she used she tended to smell like roses so she just enhance that problem with soap that matches the scent. She sighed. She had to act normally today. Dad wasn't home until the day they leave so she was safe from his prying eyes. Yang was adamant that she really like someone called Aaron from Signal. But she hadn't spoken to him so she didn't know if he was her soulmate or not. She sighed and held her legs closer to her. She brought up a leg to rest on the bathtub. She looked at the bright orange writing. The writing was cursive and she hated to admit it was beautiful... She lightly touched it. The way the E curved, the way the R was so regal looking. She closed her eyes. She couldn't remember his face and never learned his name. All she remembered was that he shot at her... She sighed and let her leg dip into the now lukewarm water. She shivered a bit missing the water that turned her pale skin into a sunburn red. She began to let the water fall through the drain. But when it was almost empty she stopped it up again and began to run hot water again, a bit more hot this time.  
"Ruby! Get out of the bath! You'll run the water bill up again!" She heard her sister yell and she smiled a bit.  
"Sorry!" She called out. She wasn't sorry. She sighed and turned off he water and stepped out . She grabbed her towel and began to dry herself. She couldn't let yang see it.  
"Don't forget to brush your teeth! Last time you went to the dentist you has nearly eight cavities." Yang teased through the door. "Anyway, I'm going out to grab groceries. You know dad doesn't like to shop, might as well stock pile up for him when he's here. You wanna come?"  
"Ahh no thanks! I'll clean up around the house when your gone though!" She said and sighed towel drying your hair  
"Want me to get you anything?" She asked  
"Uhm maybe some pocky! That's about it!"  
"Okay, see you when I get back." When Ruby heard the door shut she sighed.  
"Oh yang." She muttered quietly. She closed her eyes and wrapped he towel around her body and stepped out. She almost didn't want to wear her usual combat dress. She was on her time off. She smiled and decided on jogging pants and a tang top.  
Not once did Ruby think about the other. If she had a mark they should to. Not until she was petting Zwei on the couch and watching some crappy romance movie that had just come out. She paused. She didn't even remember what she said.


	2. Romans didn't know what to do with a budding rose

Uhg, what did he just wake up from? It felt like he had been hit by a train. He ran a hand through his hair brushing his bangs back. He stood up. After last night he had to take refuge in one of his many apartments he owned throughout the city. He had been so exhausted he didn't even change out of his clothes. His hat was on the coat rack along with his coat. He sighed and removed his gloves setting them down on the table. He removed the long sleeve shirt. When he was tossing it to the side he squinted his eye. He dropped the shirt and went to rub the red ink of his right hand. Not a single smudge.  
"What the hell?" He muttered. The writing was a bit sloppy. "Hey?" He asked himself. It took a few moments of staring at it before his heart went to his stomach. He rushed to the kitchen sink and tan his hand under hot water. He scrubbed until his hand went raw. "No! No, no no. No." He said to himself denying the words existence on his hand. "Not happening. This is not happening." When he scrubbed until he broke skin he growled and jerked away from the water. He dried his hand off. The word still there. "Well damn it universe. How many people have said that to me? " he snarled and glared. This couldn't be happening. No, this wasn't happening.  
He grit his teeth and went back to his bedroom to undress completely to take a shower he stepped into the shower and laid his left hand on the wall for support. He stared at the top of his hand. His mind was running through all the people. He grit his teeth and looked to the side. He scoffed. "Anything else would've done." He muttered. "Any other words at all. Maybe a sentence would've been nice." He hissed.  
When his shower finished he sighed. Cinder usually left him alone after something like that. For a good three or four days. He simply slipped on a pair of boxers. Who was the last person he spoke with? Well that'd be cinder... Emerald yelled hey to him yesterday as well... But he knew her handwriting. Nothing like that. Mercury did... He's never seen his writing but shuddered at the thought of the annoying brat. But the writing seemed feminine. The way the Y curled up at the end and the e was slanted. But what got his attention the most was how red it was. Bright, bright red... He bit his lip and sighed.  
Red.  
Red...  
Why did that sound familiar to him? It was just a colour. A colour, nothing more. He laid his head back and sighed. He closed his eyes and thought. He fumbled and found a cigar lit it up and took a puff before making smoke rings. This life was dreadful, oh so dreadful... Sometimes he wondered, would he be able to handle having a soulmate? He's met them, they've spoken. Would it be right?  
He repeated the action as smoke filled the room with a light haze.  
"A soulmate." He began to chuckle. "What romanticism..." He muttered and sighed a bit. Was it really that unreachable though?


	3. Criminals enjoy flowers too

Ruby sighed. She's managed to hide from her sister what was now on her ankle. "Aw sis let go." She said as she squeezed her for the fifth time.  
"I can't help it my little sister going to beacon! I'm so proud!" She said and clapped. "Your going to be the bees knees!"  
"I don't wanna be he bees knees! I don't wanna be any kind of knees! I just wanna be a normal girl, with normal knees!" She said exasperated. Yang went to say something else but her attention was drawn to the screen they had up. That face, it all came back to her. Her heart began to beat harder in her chest and she could feel her knees shake. Roman Torchwick. The man who was wanted in every corner of vale, haven, almost everywhere around the neighboring countries. This couldn't be her soulmate. No way.  
"So sis!" Yang didn't realize her sisters sudden interested in the criminal that was being shown. "Ready for your first day?"  
Ruby looked down and sighed. "Not really..." She said and sighed. "Yang, have you met your soulmate yet?" She asked  
Yang smiled a bit. "No, not yet actually. Why, did you finally talk to Aaron?" Yang said getting a wide smile on her lips. "Where is it?! What colour is it?" Yang was getting excited now.  
"No no!" Ruby said blushing deeply. "No, I was just wondering because I was watching a romance movie last night and I was thinking." Ruby said and smiled to her sister. She glanced at the mugshot again. She looked down at her ankle and smiled. She would forget about it for now. She didn't have time to worry about lovey dovey stuff! She had school work! She smiled.  
Yang smiled seeing her sister perk up again. Ruby was so innocent. But for a second she could've sworn that her sister was acting strangly. But as soon as she saw that smile, she hugged her again.  
'Let this make six!' Ruby thought to herself and chuckled a bit hugging her sister back finally. She sighed a bit and closed her eyes. "I'm happy I get to be in beacon with you." She muttered  
"So am I..." Yang said and smiled gently To her sister.


	4. Good guys can enjoy the smoke of a Cigar.

He blew the smoke into the air. The cigar he had was now down to the stub. He sighed at the stress reliever and closed his eyes. Cinder, cinder and her two pets were driving him insane. Always wanting something, always doing wrong. He watched as the smoke dissipated into the air. He looked at the map. He stood up from the swivel chair. He looked at the map. He had failed the robbery of he shop "Dust 'till Dawn" and well, he knew cinder was coming to speak about that today. He closed his eyes. Nothing was okay... Why did he fail the robbery? One reason.He stabbed a red thumbnail into the mat and scowled.   
"Red little red." He snarled. He paused for a moment. Red, that colour. Red, that nickname. He jerked his right hand glove off and stared at his hand. Red writing. anger began to boil. That little girl was he one that did this to him?! In his adrenaline he heard the distance clicking of heels. He slowly slipped his glove on and calmed his beating heart.  
"Torchwick." That sickeningly sweet voice made him feel a cold chill run down his spine. A hand went to his side and slowly went around his power back. Even through layers of clothing, her touched made his skin feel as if it was scorching. He didn't enjoy it. But he stood his ground staring at the map.   
"You failed Here. You failed here, and here." She stabbed in three pink thumbnails. "You only went to one of the three. I can understand here and here." She pulled out the red and pink thumbnail and replaced it with a green one. "By why, this one? I just came down to save you." She said smirking. "Was it because the huntress? Or did that little girl beat you and your men up?"   
Torchwick stayed silent. He chewed on what was left of the cigar. But didn't answer her. She jerked around and placed a palm on his cheek. His skin felt as if it was set afire. Was it because she had powers that did not belong to her? Or was it simply because he was absolutely unsure of what will happen, no matter what he does.   
"Torchwick." She said and smirked. She rubbed a thumb on his cheek. "I don't know what I'll do if you fail again." She leaned up her lips brushing against his.   
He jerked away from her and backed away. "Don't worry." He said quickly. He knew she was smirking. She loved to tease him, force him to squirm. He watched her walk away. He went back to the map and stared at it muttering now and again and moving a few things around.   
He paused and placed a large one right in beacon.   
"Little red. Little red." He hissed "I'll see you dead little red." When he said it, be expected to feel hate for the child that beat him. But right in the back of his mind was doubt. His facial expressions softened. He removed his glove again. He stared at the writing. "Maybe, you shouldn't be dead..." He whispered. He watched as the white fang walked in. He looked and snapped  
"Yessir!" One said and saluted their ears pointing in his direction. "I'm leaving, probably won't be back until tomorrow. Clean my office up." He said motioning with his cane at the stubs of the cigars he has went through, the coffee cups, and the fast food take out boxes.   
He walked out of the hideout and to someone he knew that could get information. Someone he trusted as well. He smirked a bit and on his way out tilted his hat to the side and gave a small smirk.


	5. You know her sister? Great.

Torchwick walked into the club and smirked a bit at the music. Bodies dancing close to one another. The smell of sweat and Ecstasy in the air. He walked over to the owner. "Hello." He said and smirked sitting down in one of the stools.  
"If it isn't Roman. What can I do for you?" The man asked  
"Well Junior, I am in bit of a predicament. " he paused and removed his gloves. "This, is what my predicament is."  
"Looks like someone finally found true love." He teased and smirked.  
"True love my ass." He grumbled a bit. "The girl is fifteen, wields a scythe that's also a gun might I add, and I met her when she tried to stop me from robbing a dust shop." Torchwick was already pulling his gloves back on. He looked up at his old friend and raised an eyebrow.  
"Oh lord. Your in some deep trouble. That girl you just described, she's the younger sister of an... acquaintance, of mine." An acquaintance that I would rather not have angry." He said and sighed. "The girls name is Ruby Rose."  
"Ruby Rose..." Torchwick muttered. "Wasn't to far off from what I called her then." He said and chuckled as a drink was passed his way. Whiskey. Junior knew him far to well. He took a drink and sighed at the burning that went down his throat. "Ahh Red" he was more muttering to himself now.  
"Your acting like a weirdo. She's fifteen remember. Not to mention your wanted, badly by ironwood." Junior reminded him cleaning a used glass with a towel.  
Torchwick sighed. "Listen, I came here for three things, I knew I could get a drink, I wanted to see if you knew anyone of that description, and I want to know if you can get your henchmen to follow her for me." He asked and im finished the drink and shaking his head at another.  
"Yeah, that sounds easy enough. But, what do I get in return? Money doesn't grow on trees."  
Torchwick smiled a bit. Money troubles again it seemed. "However much you need for a months rent on this building. Now, I need you to send the information you gather to my apartment discretely. Cinder cannot know about this, or her little pets." He said.  
"Got it. Which apartment?" He asked  
"Down by the river." Was all Torchwick said before leaving. Things were falling neatly into place.


	6. Take me down by the riverbend

It's been around six weeks. Torchwick has commuted crime after crime. Ruby has went to class normally, hung out with her friends. But one thing has been added. She likes to walk alone by the river sometimes.   
Torchwick didn't gain this information from Juniors lackeys. He learned this in his own. After a burglary he recently committed it was Sunday night. He stepped out into his balcony still hidden by the darkness. But there he saw a young girl walking down by the river. The moonlight shown off her skin and her silver eyes were so beautiful. Beautiful? He scoffed a bit and rolled his eyes. But, there was a part of him that couldn't deny that this was a sight he never wanted to forget.   
He watched this every Sunday for three weeks... Something he noticed was that she was always alone, she carried her weapon with her. But she was always alone. She wouldn't always be in the same mood either. Sometimes she would be crying, sometimes she would fall to her knees sobbing. Others she would skip and spin around like a child, a bright smile on her face. He would always be on this balcony slowly sipping whatever drink he had. He could never have her, he would never be able to touch that ivory skin, look into those silver eyes. Listen to that laugh that sounded like music. Why were these thoughts going through his mind? He was supposed to hate her. But the more he watched her... The more he didn't want her dead. He wanted to be down there with her... He grew angry at himself. He shouldn't think of this girl that way. He poured the whiskey he was drinking out. Maybe the alcohol was helping fume these forbidden things. He sighed and held his chin on his hand.   
He hated that... He hated he would never be able to do any of those things. When she went out of view he walked back inside. He sat down on his chair and leaned back. He had nothing to do... Three weeks ago he was sure ironwood cursed his name into oblivion. Ahh what a great guy, he chuckled to himself and opened his scroll up. "Looks like emerald was on here again..." He muttered. There was a game he's never seen before. He grumbled reading the name. "Panda pop..." He muttered aloud. He rolled his eyes. She was only on level ten. "Why do I let these kids get their paws on my things?" He muttered and sighed.  
Without realizing he played the game for a good four hours and the sun was rising. When he realized he sighed and removed the coat and hat he still had on. He had to take off one of the gloves to play the game. So when he looked at his right hand he sighed.   
"Hey!" It read. He sighed. Whenever he read it he could hear her high pitched voice... He shouldn't he knew he shouldn't. He had to clear his head, Cinder was coming tonight to speak with him. He sighed. He had a break from her and wasn't ready to see her again. He put the glove back on and closed his eyes. He closed his scroll and set it on the side table.


	7. He's only a crack in my castle of glass

Ruby smiled as she walked down the river. A smile was on her face tonight and she spun a little and giggled to herself. It was a good day today! Classes were good, her friends were finally getting along. Blake was opening up more. She loved taking her Sunday walks alone. She felt eyes on her, and paused when hearing water splash. She shrugged it off, she was beside a river. She slowed her skip to a walk and finally to a stop. She was behind trees, out of view of the houses that littered the area. She removed her boots and rolled her leggings up to show her ankles. She dipped her feet into the moving water. She could easily see the bright orange writing, only because she knew it was there. She laid down in the grass and looked up at the stars a smile on her face. Her toes were tickled by the water and it made her giggle. "Roman Torchwick huh... " she said quietly. She remembered his mugshots. That cocky smirk, that nice completion, but what made her think of him the most... His eyes. That emerald green eye.  
As her thoughts went on... She began to fall into a day dream. It would be a few years that they were a couple, no one cared. Sometimes he would pick her up and carry her kiss her and nuzzle his nose into her neck. His fringe would tickle her cheek. She would hug his head and kick her feet and laugh.  
"I love you Red."  
She quickly shot up and shook her head. "No!" She squeaked. "I can't think of that!" She shook her head and quickly got her feet out of the water. "No I ant think of that..." She muttered to herself quietly. A man like him probably wasn't even capable of love...  
She pulled down her leggings and slipped her socks on. She slipped into her combat boots again, but she paused.  
Was a soulmate really that unreachable...?  
Her emotions were never that stable, almost like a building made of glass. But Roman Torchwick was cracking it.


	8. I think there's a fault in my code

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had written all of that before the season finale... I'm dead, it killed me inside. I had actually debating on publishing or not. But do not fear! He work will stay I promise. It's just going to have to take a few different turns. Oh they confirmed his death? WELL TO BAD ITS AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.... ):  
> Anyway on a serious note I will be continuing this, not all things will stay as in the show, but I will try to remain as close as possible... Anyway- to the chapter!

"Can you get her there?"  
"Easily."  
"Will she be harmed?"  
"Maybe a few cuts and bruises."  
"Not good enough, I don't want her with her weapon. She won't look at me without bringing her oversized weed wacker out."  
"What do you want me to do then?! Bring her down on a fluffy cloud?"  
"Just, just get her to the river tonight. If you can, try to get her without her weapon. Don't harm her. I can't guarantee she won't call for help either. So try to stay near-bye."  
"Want me to bring sweets and tea?"  
"Shut up Junior..."  
Torchwick ended the conversation with a sigh. He had two days left before cinder would visit him. The delay became evident when she called him and he could hear fighting in the background. So he was in the clear, even it was just one night... He laid back on the couch shoe clad feet propped up on the arm and cane in his right hand, fiddling with it. He tilted his hat down to cover his eyes and closed them. He fell into a restless sleep  
He woke up again to hear his scroll ringing. He answered. "Hello?" He asked sleepily  
"It's seven pm she's on her way."  
"What?!" He asked furious. But before he was able to answer the rhetoric question he hung up and shoved it in his back pocket. He ran to the restroom and did a quick brushing of teeth and hair styling. "Just gotta keep the hat on." He muttered before walking out of his apartment and locking it up. He slowed his beating heart and avoided the main area taking the back trail that went around his apartment. He sighed as he looked at the rushing water. He heard footsteps. He listened closely. Walking fast, slowly stopping. Hesitation. He stayed quiet, as if he didn't know the girl was there... He expected to hear the footsteps running away. But they were getting closer.  
"Roman Torchwick..." That voice. He felt a tingle in his abdomen.  
"That's me Red, don't wear it out." He said and turned around. When did they make her come down? She looked as if she haphazardly threw the dress on. It was wrinkled up in places it shouldn't be. Her hair was barely brushed, she was out of breath.  
"what are you doing here?" Her voice sounded... Scared.  
"You know exactly why I'm here." Probably not the best choice of words  
"N...no I don't." She said  
He rolled his eye and sighed. "Around a month and a half ago, we met for the first time. You spoiled my robbery." He held his cane with his left hand before removing his right glove by biting down on the finger and pulling it off. He took it in his left hand. "This." He said and motioned to the top of his hand. He heard her gasp.  
She looked up at him. She didn't seem scared, she seemed more, shocked. The way her eyes grew big, her mouth was slightly agape. Torchwick could feel his heart speed up.  
Ruby didn't know what to think. She slowly reached out and placed her hand on his. She ran her thumb across the word scrawled in her handwriting...  
"So it was you..." She muttered. She backed away from him. She didn't know what to do. Her knees felt weak. This man was a wanted criminal. This man tried to kill her, he's killed people. But why didn't she run away? Why didn't she call for help? "What do you want to do about this then?" She asked  
Torchwick wanted to jerk his hand away, but unlike cinders scorchIng touches, Red's hands gave off a gentle lukewarm feeling. One he didn't want to admit he missed when she pulled away. Then she started to ask the real questions... He stared at her. "That's why I called you here Red. Now before I go any further. Let me see." He said and looked at her  
"Oh yeah!" She removed her shoes and rolled her left leg legging up a bit. There it was in the same colour as his hair. He chuckled a bit.  
"At Least yours was a bit more obvious on who it was. I had to use process of elimination." He heard a giggle escape those light pink lips and had to fight a blush that was trying to rise to his cheeks. The smile she was giving was the epitome of innocence. How did a girl as innocent as little red... Get a shitty soulmate like him?  
Ruby smiled and giggled a bit as he spoke. "I say so! I'm not very good in social situations so.." She trailed off and slipped her boots back on. "So now that I showed you... What do we do?" Her smile faced from her lips and she looked up at Torchwick. Her eyes were big and her smile was there.


	9. So dance alone to the beat of your heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note: I strait up wanna thank everyone who bookmarked this and have me a Kudos :) all of you are epic! And if your reading this after I've finished it. Thank you for reading this in general! Love you all <3
> 
> Date written Feb 16 2016

Roman sighed and placed his hand to his head. "Well, we have multiple options here." He said. "Although were... "Soul mates" we can ignore each other and go back to me doing my criminal thing and you doing your huntress training." The look of slight disappointment showed on her face. Though he could see she was trying her best to hide it. 'Is she having the same thoughts?' He thought to himself. "Or, tonight we can exchange numbers and keep in contact under alias's in each of our phones. " he said and smirked a bit. Leaning down to smirk at her and touch her nose. Her reaction made his day. "Then we can message when we're free in the same day, we can plan our, first date."   
Ruby was going to say something when he suddenly got really close. She squealed loudly and pushed him away and fell on her butt. "Meanie!" She said and crossed her arms blushing a deep a red as her dress. She huffed and stood up Crossing her arms. "Maybe we should do the first one." Though, when she said it it was a lie, she just wanted to spite him.   
"Okay, see ya Red." He said and turned to begin walking away. He could play that game.   
"Wait!" She said and pulled on his sleeve. "I didn't mean it! Uhm... " she quickly let go of his arm quickly. He turned around and smirked at her. "Uhm uhh. Wh-what if... We Uhm... We did the second idea." Ruby didn't know why she did that. She gulped a bit and closed her eyes. Next thing she knew Torchwick was holding his scroll out for her. "  
Here, just insert your number." He said. He smirked a bit when she handed him hers. He took it and quickly inserted the number and handed it back. He smiled a bit as she just finished and handed his back. "I shall see you soon Red." He said and gave a tip of his hat.   
Ruby watched as he walked away. Her heart was beating. She held her scroll close to her and bit her lip. She gulped a bit and turned to walk back to the dorms. As she was walking back, she could feel her knees shaking. She felt an insatiable need for him. When she spoke to him, when she actually spoke to him and looked right in his emerald green eye... She felt as if something changes inside her. Was it her thinking? Or was it her sanity. One thing was clear about this whole ordeal though. No one would be able to know...


	10. Got sick, Got kicked out of highschool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date written: February 16 2016
> 
> Notes: I'm pretty sure people have caught on by now, but I'm going to try and make this a slow paced Rosewick.  
> Again, thanks for the bookmarking, comments, and kudos! Really helps me out and inspires me to keep writing! :)

Ruby sighed. She was so unable to focus in class. Her fingers tapped against the desk she was sitting at while Professor Ooblek kept her wide awake in his jerky movements and loud voice, she couldn't focus. He had messaged her last night and told her not to message today. Saying he had a partner comming over. While she disagreed with this notion of his criminal ways, she had to accept it... No matter how bad it was for her morals.  
"Ms.Rose!"  
She jumped at her name being called.  
"While I expect day dreaming from People like Mr. Arc and Mr.Winchester, I am not pleased to see it is spreading! Please, try to pay attention!"  
"Yessir..." She said and looked down. She got an elbow from yang and a playful smirk. Ruby chuckled a bit and started to retake notes. But as she took notes, it began to be taken less and less. She started to zone out again. She didn't mean to.  
Thankfully, before Ooblek noticed the difference in her writing patterns the bell rang.  
"Good going Ruby!" Of course Weiss would have something to say about it. She pouted a bit and huffed. "What's wrong with you lately?" Weiss asked and tapped her foot on the ground  
"Well exams are coming up... I've been studying.." She trailed off and sighed. She wasn't one to lie, she hated lying. She looked down.  
"Do you need help?" Blake chimed in and looked at the young girl.  
"No I'm fine- just I've stayed up late studying and it has me worn out." Not all of it was a lie. She had a real bad issue studying. She couldn't focus very well. She sighed a little. "Since classes are done for the day in going to catch some Z's maybe that'll help me feel better." She said and smiled  
Yang pat her sisters back. "Don't let school work bring you down sis!" She said happily. Ruby smiled up to her and began to carry all her books back to the dorm. She entered the room and set the books on her bed with a groan. She felt her scroll vibrate and sighed.


	11. and then, I kinda got arrested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they get to learn a bit more about one another <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well not much to say, again I thank you for all the Kudos and reads! So much! I'm sorry for how short the chapters are but I don't want to make them to long. I'll start trying harder to make them longer! Starting with this one.  
> Something that I also love- Torchwick would be the type of criminal to snapchat everyone during a crime and running away from the cops. I don't know why but I could just see it!

"Who could that be?" She expected it to be Jaune saying that he locked himself out again. She opened her scroll and answered the call. "Hello?" She greeted and jumped a bit at the voice that greeted her.  
"Hello Little Red." Ruby nearly dropped her scroll. She had least expected Torchwick to call right now! She could hear the smirk on his lips as he spoke. "Cat got your tongue?"  
"I just didn't expect you to call after school. Didn't you say that you had a partner over?" She asked and held her scroll between her shoulder and cheek as she opened the door.  
"Yes, I did. I seriously hate it when she comes over. I smoke three at least. Here, switch over to face cam, it's easier." Ruby almost didn't want to. She felt her cheeks heat up to slight pink, he was going to see her in her school uniform.  
"Okay hold on a second I gotta put my books away." She said and set her phone down onto the desk and tossed her books onto her bed. She made sure to connect her headphones to her scroll and slipped them on before accepting the face chat. She giggled a bit at what appeared. He had set his scroll in his lap so it was a funny angle and it looked as if he was having a time trying to get his lighter to work. "That's a really bad habit you know." She said  
Torchwick jumped a bit. He had taken to lighting yet another, it helped with the stress he had after Cinder left. He sighed and closed his eyes after finally getting it lit. "At Least I don't... Dip." He was going to say drink, but who didn't have a good drink now and again? He looked at her on his screen. "Are you, blushing?" He asked seeing her cheeks are tinted red.  
"No!" She said far to defensively for his taste. he took a big puff and let the smoke come from  
Both his nose and mouth. "I-I'm not!" Her cheeks were only growing more and more red as he spoke with her. He couldn't deny how cute she was... The way she was trying to hide her face.  
"Aww Red take your hood down." He teased and smiled as she just pulled it tighter. For a split second in his head, he could imagine lifting the hood up and smiling down at her placing a gentle kiss on those pink lips.  
"Why're you blushing now?!" Ruby whined. And pointed at the scroll screen where his cheeks would be.  
"I am not blushing." He said and took another puff of the cigar. Smoke coming from both his nose and mouth again. A light pink dusted his cheeks and he knew it.  
"Are too!"  
"Are not!"  
"Are too!" Ruby couldn't help but blush a little bit more every time he blew smoke. He looked like a dragon... She personally did not enjoy the smell but felt like she could toughen up for him.  
When the two went quiet and stopped arguing they just looked at each other. Slowly, on both of their lips a small smile was emerging. They just liked to look at each other.  
"How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning? " she asked breaking the silence. She liked it, but she didn't like staying quiet for to long. Torchwick chuckled at her question and shook his head a bit.  
"Well Red, I actually let my hair fix over night." He didn't want to strait up say: 'yeah I use hair curlers of the night.' So he tried to find a way around it. "Yes I do use eyeliner every morning, and I take my showers of the night after every day so cut about forty-five minutes. Around ten fifteen minutes?" He asked and smiled a bit to her.  
"A forty-five minute shower?!" She had no room to talk, but he didn't need to know that.  
"What can I say Red? I like to be pampered." He joked a bit.  
"I can see that." Ruby said and chuckled a bit. "Well, it actually takes me less time than that thank goodness. I take my shower of the night to, sadly I can't take too long because other people need to shower too. " she said and whined a bit with a pout. "Then in the morning I brush my hair and put on my uniform and cape and I'm ready to go!" Ruby said and smiled a bit.  
Roman was glad that she finally took her cape off. He couldn't help but wonder. How was she so innocent. He didn't realize that he was staring because when she began to shift the phone and move around a bit she was blushing. "So Red, anything else that you would like to ask me?" He asked and smiled a bit.  
"What's one of your best stories about committing a crime?" She asked with a smile. She almost regretted asking that, the story took a good hour to complete. But almost, she was laughing the whole time he told the story. "Oh my god!" She said and laughed a tear escaping from her eye in laughter. But as it slowly calmed down she didn't realize what she was asking and it just slipped out"Why do you stay a criminal?" Ruby looked at him, those large silver eyes were looking at him, he couldn't look at the scroll, he looked anywhere but where she was looking. That was a loaded question... He bit his lip and sighed.  
"Well, I have absolutely nothing to gain from this anymore. If anything, I'm worried about what I'll loose if I try to break away from my partner. She's not that nicest person when people try to leave. I wouldn't have to worry about ironwood, hell, I would go to ironwood in a hand basket if it meant safe from her." Ruby looked at him, she felt almost, sorry for him. No, not almost. She did feel sorry for him. "So the main reason I stay is so I won't loose anything else, I've lost to much." Roman looked at the phone screen again, for a second she saw the look of a man who was broken, the look of a man whose lost a lot through his life. He had to grow up to soon.  
"Roman..." She whispered quietly. She wanted to say more when she heard the door knob jiggle. "I've got to go." She said and closed her scroll quickly.  
"Red wa-" Roman sighed as it disconnected. He sighed and closed his eyes. He's never shared that with anyone. He sighed and closed his own scroll. The cigar was long gone from the conversation they had. He got up off the chair and walked over to the fridge. He pulled out a beer and sighed, he hated the taste of this but it was all that he had. He scowled and put it back into the fridge and grabbed a cup from the cabinet filling it with tap water. He took a drink and looked down. "Little Red, little Red, what are you doing to me?"


	12. We are not the ones who will go unspoken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to Rome Grows Roses! Glad to have you :) I wanna thank you again for the Kudos, the reads, and bookmarks! Thank you so much everyone!!!! <3

Ruby barely managed to hang up in time. She sighed. Roman had kept her on for a long time and well, she found it amazing how the criminal spoke. He was sarcastic, flirtatious, and even more funny. He may have been a criminal mastermind, but, she found him amazing. The stories he told about running from the police, she found them so amusing. Of course she had to act miserable about studying. "Ugh!" She whined and threw herself into Yang when she, Weiss, and Blake entered the room. She pouted. "Don't make me study anymore!" She cried out and cried to her sister.  
"Aww cmon Ruby. It isn't that bad." Yang answered laughing. Yang had noticed her sister was acting strangely lately and well, it worried her. If it was up to her she would interrogate Ruby, but Blake and Weiss would always talk her out of it. She glanced at her teammates and smiled.  
"But it is!" Ruby whined. "It's horrible, so horrible!" She laid on the floor for a good five minutes as the older group spoke. She gave up and groaned. "I'm done for tonight." She packed all her books away in a bag and puffed her cheeks out. She realized that they didn't even get to talk about what they would do for a date. Well, she could always ask him later.

"Ruby," Blake began. "You... You have been acting very strange lately." The older two seemed shocked. "Is something wrong? Is Cardin bullying you? What about any of the older people?" She asked. Blake may have not always been the most caring person, but when it came to their younger team leader who didn't seem to care if you were one of the most hideous things that could pop out of this universe... She worried. Ruby was shocked at how Blake was worrying over her.   
"No Blake nothing's wrong." She said and tilted her head a bit.   
"Ruby are you sure? Are you hiding anything from us?" Yang knew her sister was the worst liar she has ever had he pleasure to meet.   
"No yang, I'm not hiding anything." It was a lie and she couldn't look at them as she spoke. She glanced at her ankle and sighed biting her lip gently.   
"Your lying Ruby." Weiss said and crossed her arms. Ruby went quiet and gulped. She didn't want to tell them, she could feel her heart begin to speed up. She wanted to run, she felt like she should run.   
"I-I..." She was almost unable to get words out. Her eyes darted all over the place for a way out. "I..."   
"Ruby!" Yang yelled getting angrier and angrier. What was she hiding from them that was so important?! "Just tell us what your doing!" She yelled. Yang saw how Ruby glanced at her scroll and stoned over jerking it from her bed  
"Yang!" Ruby cried out. Wanting to jerk it away from her. She stayed where she was though. Yang looked through the recent calls. Some guy named Todd had been texting her a lot and not to mention the call that had ended right before they came in.   
"Is this what you were hiding? That you were talking to some guy?! Where did you meet him who is he?!" Yang yelled out. She didn't mean to sound angry now, she simply sounded worried, it showed in her eyes, they were not the vibrant red that they usually were when she was angry.   
"I met him a while back." She said and sighed a bit a small gulp going down her throat. Yang tossed the scroll onto the bed and sighed pulling her little sister close.   
"Don't worry me like that... I don't care if your talking to someone, your fifteen... You can date, just don't tell dad... Or uncle Qrow." The blonde older sister hugged her younger sibling close. She closed her eyes and sighed.


End file.
